My labs been licking his skin raw on his leg we've tried antibiotics+antiinflamitories any other ideas?

Question

He is 18 months old and he began this obsessive licking 6 months ago. He has been to the vet 3 times, tried antibiotics 2x and antiinflamitories as well. We've tried apple bitter and other deterents and he just licks them off. We've tried a bell collar and he gets around it and ripps off his bandage to get back to his sore. He eats an all natural diet, partially raw. He gets daily vitamin supplements and salmon oil. We keep him busy with bones, toys and plenty of daily exercise. Even the vet seems at a loss. Any home or natural remedies would be appreciated as well as suggestions for my vet.

Answer 1

It could be bordom. Try walking him for an hour a day.

Answer 2

(1) Licking at one spot that was a sore or injury

Put an Elizabethan collar on him until it heals so he can't get at it but can eat and drink. Your vet will know what it is.

(2) All over licking or more than one spot

Probably allergies or a nurtional deficiency

Bag the raw meat diet. It is not all it is claimed to be - and is particualrly ineffective for dogs who have a higher need for a nutriet than the average animal. (Yes, it happens just like in people.) Canines in the wild living on raw meat do not do as well as one on a nutritionally complete diet.

One specialty top-of-the-line dog food that works very well on dogs with skin problems is Solid Gold Dog Food. You can not buy it at Petsmart, Walmart or grocery stores. Search for "Solid Gold Dog Food" and go to their website. They have specialty dealers pretty much everywhere. You can call and talk to their nutritionist. It was developed by a Great Dane breeder years ago. Expensive but so concentrated that you use less than other foods.

Also wash his bedding with mild hypo-allergenic soap. Wash him with hypo-allergenic soap. If you have carpeting, some dogs'skin gets irritated by carpet cleaners like the Woolite spray can stuff or similar products. If you use ai freshenrs or othe substances, that could be the problem that is making him itch so he chews.


Of course there is the obsessvie chewing from stress. That calls for tranquilizers and figuring out why he is stressed.

Answer 3

I've had two cats with this problem,both dilute calico females.The first one died from kidney failure caused by many years of prednisone and antibiotic treatment.She also had licked her leg to the bone and it had to be kept bandaged all the time,the vet had to suture the wound closed countless times.Nothing worked for her.The second cat did the same thing,licked it to the bone.We did the same treatments for her.Finally,my vet did surgery.She cut the wounded area away,sewed the healthy skin together,and put a cast on her leg for 6 weeks.She didn't bother it again for 8 years,and by then she had other serious health problems,and she died not long after.Perhaps your vet could try the cast for six weeks.This,along with positive re-enforcement(leaves leg alone when told the command "leave it"=treat),may be your only solution.Try putting some Panalog ointment on it as well.This is made for ear infections,but it works wonders for hot spots and lick granulomas on my dogs.Ask your vet if you can try it.Prozac and/or Valium and Benadryl may help,too.Good luck with a very frustrating problem.I know how you feel.

Answer 4

My mothers yellow lab is doing the same thing (he's 2 years old) and on a duck and potato diet no treats. He has severe allergies. He licks and chews mainly at his back legs and belly. The vet said dogs can take up to 200 milligrams of Benadryl a day (100 milligrams twice a day) they lick because they itch. You should have your dog checked for allergies (food or airborne). He may need steroids.

One other interesting tid bit.. I have an older boxer that recently started obsessive licking and whining. I took him in thinking he might be in pain because of his age and hips.. and he was. He has a bad knee.. once I started him on pain medications the licking stopped. It was stress brought on by the pain.

Good luck!

Answer 5

my parents have a Chinese Sharpe that does the same thing. Except he also chews at himself. At first the doc. found out that he was allergic to the type of shampoo they were using for him, so they bought the kind the vet gave him, but he still didnt stop. It been two years now and he still does it. What my parents have ended up doing is putting neosporon (sp?) on his but and wrapping it up until it heals and some hair grows up. The vet doesn't know what else to do either. Hope that something will work for your doggie!

Answer 6

it must be a foul habit as your vet pronounced, or it must be due be warm spots. Any canines can get a warm spot yet they take place extra in many cases in long haired breeds like Golden Retrievers, Collies, German Shepherds, Cocker Spaniels. canines with dense coats, notably those with an undercoat, are maximum susceptible. in case you notice your canines rubbing, scratching or chewing around a gap, examine to ascertain what's there. Clipping the hair over the affected area will assist you ascertain how super the lesion extremely is. that's going to permit mild and air to prevail in the exterior and help to dry the exterior. Wash the area gently with heat water and straightforward cleansing soap, rinse, and gently pat dry. using an antiseptic could be all that's mandatory to resign the soreness led to by using an insect chew. a skinny coat of Cortisone cream ought to calm the itch of an allergic rash. Use a comfortable astringent to assist dry aggravated epidermis in heat, moist areas.

Answer 7

It sounds like hot spots to me. It is a symptom of allergies that is itchy and irritating.
Does you food have corn or corn by products in it? Corn is a common food allergen that contributes or can cause hot spots. Try switching foods to something without any corn in it. Most pet stores and pet store chains will have several to choose from.

Answer 8

My suggestion would be to take him to a homeopathic vet. It seems you've tried about everything else you can think of and I've had them help my dogs (though not with this problem) several times.

Answer 9

ok this is what i would do and do this for a while until he gets the point put him on a leash and just sit around with him a while everytime he goes to lick his self there tug on the leash and say no and try that for a cpl of weeks see if that helps i seen Caesar Millian do that for an obsessive dog once and it eventually worked.... hoped i helped

Answer 10

My parents' old dog used to do that, and nothing they tried ever worked.
I read somewhere that it is a nervous condition like you biting your fingernails.
If it was my dog, I would put one of those cone things on his neck until it healed, and then find something nasty to put on his legs that he would never want to have in his mouth, like hot sauce or bitter apple spray. (Just make sure whatever it is doesn't burn his legs, like the hot sauce!)
You have to make it so he doesn't want to do it anymore.
Good luck!

Answer 11

Go to your local pet store and buy what they call EMT gel.....it is just like "new skin" for people but EMT gel is for dogs and puppies only. It covers the spot up with a layer of thin skin that he would have to bite off to get it off.....good luck and hope it works for you.